If the Parma volleyball team makes it to the state tournament next year, they won't be the two-time defending champions of the tournament they are playing in.

The Panthers have won the last two 2A state championships, but when the Idaho State High School Activities Association's school classifications are redefined, Parma will be moving up to 3A, where they will be the smallest school in their class.

But that might not necessarily be a bad thing for the Panthers. After all, at last weekend's state tournament, the team was an underdog to Nampa Christian in the final, having fallen to the Trojans earlier in the day.

They beat Soda Springs in the double elimination tournament to set up the rematch with their 2A Western Idaho Conference rivals and beat Nampa Christian not once, but twice.

In fact, with the exception of a forfeit to Cole Valley Christian in the regular season, Parma was the only team to defeat Nampa Christian all season.

Parma had previously beaten Nampa Christian in the district tournament on Oct. 22, which was also a double-elimination tournament, but the Trojans won the deciding match in four sets.

But can Parma pull off similar success in a classification where some schools have 200 more students than Parma does? It will certainly be a tough road, but that will be nothing new for the Panthers.